1. Establishment; purpose. There is established the Unused Pharmaceutical Disposal Program, referred to in this chapter as “the program.” The purpose of the program is to ensure the safe, effective and proper disposal of unused pharmaceuticals. For purposes of compliance with federal law and regulation, the return of pharmaceuticals under this section is deemed to be for law enforcement purposes.

2. Administration. The program is administered by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, referred to in this chapter as “the agency,” established in Title 25, section 2955.

3. Return of pharmaceuticals. The agency may create systems for the safe, effective and proper disposal of unused pharmaceuticals. The systems may include the use of prepaid mailing envelopes into which the unused pharmaceuticals are placed and returned to a single collection location. The prepaid mailing envelopes must be made available to the public at various locations, including, but not limited to, pharmacies, physicians’ offices and post offices. The agency may randomly assess the toxicity of materials received under the program as long as the assessment results do not identify the patient, person who mailed the material, prescriber or pharmacy.

4. Disposal of pharmaceuticals. All unused pharmaceuticals received under the program must be disposed of in a manner that is designed to be effective, secure and in compliance with local, state and federal environmental requirements, including the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended.

5. Unused Pharmaceutical Disposal Program Fund; funding. The Unused Pharmaceutical Disposal Program Fund, referred to in this chapter as “the fund,” is established within the agency to be used by the director of the agency to fund or assist in funding the safe, effective and proper disposal of unused pharmaceuticals. Any balance in the fund does not lapse but is carried forward to be expended for the same purposes in succeeding fiscal years. The fund must be deposited with and maintained and administered by the agency. The agency may accept funds into the fund from any non-General Fund source, including grants or contributions of money or other things of value, that it determines necessary to carry out the safe, effective and proper disposal of unused pharmaceuticals. Money accepted into the fund by the agency must be used for the expenses of safe, effective and proper disposal of unused pharmaceuticals.

6. Rulemaking. The agency shall adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2?A.

7. Disposal; funding. The program must operate with funding solely from the fund provided in subsection 5.

8. Drug take-back stewardship program participation. Nothing in this section prohibits a law enforcement agency from participating as an authorized collector in a drug take-back stewardship program implemented under Title 38, section 1612.